Wave conductor



WAVE CONDUCTOR mammina May 29, 1923.

l. PUPIN WAVE CONDUCTOR Original Filed Oct. l0, 1918 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 e Ab Scale Divisions Patented May 29, 1923.

UNITED STATES MICHAEL IDVORSKY PUPIN, OF NORFOLK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTINGHOUSE PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF EAST PITTSBURGH, PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

WAVE CONDUCTOR.

Application led October 10, 1918, Serial No. 257,570. Renewed September 1, 1922. Serial No. 585,834.

To all whom t may con-cern Be it known that I, MICHAEL I.' PUrIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Litchfield, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVave Conductors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.l y

This invention relates to apparatus for balancing in phase and amplitude pulsating or alternating electromotive force waves, and has for its object the provision of an apparatus of this character. For the sake of simplicity, I will` throughout this specification, designate the apparatus as a wave balance.

The balancing in phase and amplitude of a pulsating or alternating electromotive force wave, and in particular of high frequency waves, has many practical applications, certain of which will be hereinafter described in connection with the wave balance of the present invention. In its broad aspect` the wave balance of the present invent-ion comprises a wave conductoi` llaving substantially' uniformly distributed inductance, capacity and resistance associated with secondary circuits so arranged that the electromot-ive forces induced therein, by an alternating or pulsating electromotive force impressed on the conductor, can be relatively varied in amplitude and time phase. phase may take place directly between the electromotive forces induced in the secondary circuits, or may take place between the electromotive force induced in one of these circuits and an elec-tromotive force modiied or influenced by the electromotive force induced in the other circuit. Thus, the invention contemplates the provision of a wave balance having a Wave conductor by means of which induced electromotive forces of predetermined amplitude and phase are produced from a given impressedalternating electromotive force, together with means The balancing in amplitude and for the utilization of these induced electromotive forces for the purpose of modifying the electromagnetic reactions in electrical circuits, which are subject to the action of the impressed electromotive force.

The accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, represent, diagrammatically, the essential features of this invention and some of its practical applications.

In the drawings. Figure l represents, diagrammatically, the component parts of a wave conductor suitable for high frequency electromotive forces; Fig. 2 represents. diagrammatically, the wave conductor of Fig. l embodied in a wave balance of the present invention; Fig. 3 represents, diagrammatically, the employment of the wave balance for determining the wave length produced in the wave conductor by an impressed simple harmonic electromotive force oi' given frequency; Figs. 4 and 5 represent. diagramnnitically, the employment of the wave balance of Fig. 2 for determining the amplifying power of a vacuum tube amplifier, and the ratio of transformation of a transformer. respectively; Fig. 6 represents. diagrammatically, the arrangement for determining experimentally the attenuation curve of a wave conductor for a simple harmonic electromotive force of given frequency; Fig. 7 represents` diagrammatically, a wave balance having a modified form of wave conductoi particularly adapted for low frequency electr-emotive forces; Fig. 8 represents a. curve expressing the relation betweenjhe frequency of the impressed electromotive force and the wave length on a wave balance; and Fig. 9 represents curves which express the relation between attenuation and position of the secondary coil on the. wave balance.

Referring now to Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, there is diagrammatically shown a hollow cylindrical core or support l0 of insulating material, surrounded by a layer of metallic conducting material 11, such, for example, as tin-foil. A layer 12 of a Suitable dielectric, such, for example, as parailined paper, surrounds the conducting layer 11. An electric current conductor 13 is wound around the dielectric layer 12 and has its two terminals extending respectively through apertures in the end ila-nges of the insulating support 10. The conductor 13 is surrounded by a layer 14 of dielectric material, and the latter is then covered with a layer 15 of metallic conducting,Y material, such as tin-foil, which serves as an electrical screen tor external conductors in the vicinity of the wave conductor 13, that is to say, the tin-toil layer 15 destroys the electrostatic coupling between the wave conductor and outside conductors.

The tin-foil layers 11 and 15 should be laminated by suitable cuts parallel to the axis of the core 10, as indicated by the thin lines running parallel to the axis of the cylindrical core. rlhe two layers olf tin-toil and one terminal of the coiled conductor 13 are connected together at '16, and when the apparatus is in operation, the point 16 is usually grounded. rlhis vgrounded terminal will be referred to as the end and the other terminal will be called the beginning7 ot' the wave conductor. The coiled conducn tor 13 has, substantially, a uniformly distributed inductance` resistanceand capacity and will, therefore, react against the action ol a variable electromotive Jforce approximately like an ordinary wave conductor of the form ot a long` telephone wire.

For the purposes of illustration, l will describe a specific construction ot a wave conductor which ll have successfully operated. but it will, of course, be understood that l do not intend to limit the invention to the particular dimensions mentioned in this example. ln the construction referred to, the corc 1() is a hakelite tube of approximately 25 cm. length and cm. external diameter. A layer of tin-toil is wrapped about the core, and upon the tin-foil are wrapped two layers of paraiiined paper forminga dielectric of about 7 x 10-3 cm. thickness. Une layer of number 36 calido wire ot high resistance, having a-boutO ohm resistance per cm., is wound upon the parailined paper. ril`he wire coil is then covered with another layer of paratiined paper like the first, and over this paper is laid another layer ot tin-toil. yllhe Wave conductor so constructed gives a wave length of about 1.() cm. and a total attenuation 'factor ot approximately 6* for a frequency oit 50,000 p. p. s., and a terminal impedance or' approximately 2,200 ohms i'or the same trefluency. The wave conductor has such a strong attenuation that a wave of frequency from 10.00() to 200.000 p. p. s. reflected at the end will not appreciably atleet the phase distribution along" the first haliQ of the conductor. lrrlence the distribu- `tion along the iirst halt will be just as in the case ot' an infinitely long, wave conducresaca@ tor. This characteristic will be expressed by calling this wave conductor a true7 wave conductor.

rthe following approximate 'lorniuhe will prove useiiul in the design ol'v the wave conductor: Let liztotal inductance ol' the coil in henrys. C :total capacity between the coil and the tin-'foil layers in tai-ads. l'ztotal resistance ot the coil in ohms. 22:2 ic f, j being the Yfrequency ot' the impressed l. M. F. lzlength of the lcoil. zterminal impedance in ohms. ).Iwave lengths in terms ot l as unit. bfltotal attenuation constant, so that ed equals total attenuation Yfactor over the length ot the coil.

l. is determined by the use. ot the ll/heatstone bridge, and Z) and l are determined in a manner which will he given Vfurther below.

ln order that the wave conductor exhibit a continuously varying" change in time phase ditlerence ot' potential and olE current, such as. an infinitely long wave conductor exhibits, it must for all vfrequencies Jfor which it is to be employed have approximately the following condition fulfilled 2191i; lt

rhat is, it must possess so high an attenuation for its length that the reflected wave is too feeble to form with the incoming wave an appreciably stationary wave. lt will also be an approximately aperiodic, or, at any rate, a very highly damped wave con ductor. The fulfillment ot these conditions is desirable tor the successful employment of the wave balance in `the manner proposed by this invention.

'lhe wave length. the attenuation constant, and the terminal impedance or' the wave conductor, hereinbet'ore described, can ihuf: be calculated, as indicated by the `iorepgoine formulae, from the inductance, resistance` capacity and frequency ot the inipressed electromotive force. and these constants, again, can be calculated from the dimensions ot the apparatus and from the elm'troniagnctic properties of the materials employed in its construction. rlhese calculations will give results which are rough aproxiinations. but when the apparatus is finished, the wave constants can be determined accurately by a Wheatstone bridge and by other experimental methods certain of which will be described hereinafter.

Referring now to Fig. 2, two secondary circuits 17 and 18, are there represented inductively associated with the wave conductor 13. Each secondary circuit comprises a cylindrical spool surrounding the conductor 13 and arranged to be longitudinally moved with respect thereto. Equal secondary coils are wound on the relatively movable spools, the number of turns of these secondary coils being determined by the Icharacter ofthe practical application for which the. wave conductor is to be employed. A scale 19 is fixed to the outer tin-foil layer 15 for determining the relative positions of the secondary coils with respect to the wave conductor.

In applications of the wave balance in which the capacity between the wave conductor and the secondary coils should be reduced as much as possible, as, for example, when employing the wave balance as a negative resistance compensator in a selective amplifying apparatus, as described in my copending application Ser. No. 257,572, filed October 10, 1918, the distance'between the outer tin-foil layer 15 and the secondary coils should be as large as practicable. Fig. 2 of the drawings Shows certain details ot' construction of the secondary circuits of a wave balance which 1 have successfully operated. In this case, each secondary coil has about five hundred turns of No. 39 copper wire wound in six layers which are separated by several thicknesses of paratiine paper in order to reduce their mutual capacity. The innermost layer of the secondary coil is wound on a cardboard Support or partition 57 separated from the adjacent outer cylindrical surface of the spool by as wide an air space as is practicable.

It is obvious that the electromotive force induced in the secondary coil 17 is different, both in phase and in amplitude, from that induced in the secondary coil 18. lVhen the. coil 17 is positioned at a distance of just one-half wave length from the coil 18, then the phase in the former differs from that in the latter by 180 electrical degrees. The ratio of the amplitudes of the electromotive forces induced in the two secondary coils depends upon the attenuation constant of the wave conductor.

Referring to Fig. 3. it will now be shown how the wave length of the wave conductor 13 may be experimentally determined. In this figure. the inner layer yof tin-foil, the wave conductor and the secondary coils are symbolically represented by the same reference numerals as in Fig. 1. The terminals of the coil 18 are connected by a suitable resistance 20. This resistance should be large in comparison with the impedance of the secondary coil. The resistance 20 has an adjustable contact or terminal 20, and functions, in effect, as a non-inductive potei tiometer having large resistance in comparison with the impedance of the secondary coil 17. An alternator, or vacuum tube oscillator, 21 impresses upon the wave conductor 13 an alternating electroniotive force of a frequency for which the wave length is to be determined. The secondary coil 17, together with an adjustable portion of the resistance 20, are included in a series circuit with the primary winding of a transformer 9.2. A heterodyne receiver connected to thc secondary winding of the transformer 2z will detect the presence of a current in this series circuit. The secondary coils 17 and 18 are connected to ground by a common conductor 23. @ne terminal of the source of alternating electromotive force 21 and the point of connection 1G between the wave conductor 13 and the tin-foil layers 11 and 15 are also connected to ground through the common conductor 23.

The series circuit including the secondary coil 17, the primary winding of the transformer 22 and a portion of the resistance 2() will have a resultant zero electroinotive force when the coil 17 is positioned at a distance of one-half wave length (with respect to the frequency of the electroinotive force impressed on the conductor 13) from the coil 18 and the adjustable contact of the resistance Q() throws into the circuit. a resistance drop equal in amplitude to the electromotive force induced in coil 17. rl`he balance is indicated by the silence of the telephone 58 in the heterodyne receiver. The distance apart of the secondary coils 17 and 18, when this balance is effected, is equivalent to one-half the wave length to be de termined.

Referring now to the curve of Fig. 8, the abscissae represent the frequencyv of the ini` pressed electromotive force in kilo cycles. and the ordinates represent the half wave length corresponding to these frequencies expressed in scale divisions of the scale attached to the wave balance. The curve was obtained experimentally by the method just described.

The attenuation curve of the i'ave conductor 13 for any given frequency may be determined by the arrangement of apparatus represented in Fig. G. In this figure. the ware conductor 13 is connected torthe source of alternating electroniotive force 2l as in the arrangement of Fig. 3. A double throw switch Q5 is attached 'to Ionnect either the ungrounded terminal of the secondary coil 17 or any point of the resistance 20 to a grounded galvanoineter Q6. A Duddell hot wire galvanometer is convenient for this lll) purpose. VWhen the adjustable contact of 13 Sli til)

the resistance 2O reaches aA certain point so that the galvanometer 26 gives the same deiiection for both operative positions ot the switch 25, the drop of potential across the adjusted portion ot the resistance 20, which is impressed upon the galvanometer 26, is

equal to the electromotive force induced in the secondary coil 17. ln this manner, the ratio of the amplitudes of the electromotive forces induced in the secondary coils i7 and 18 are deterniined7 and this ratio determines the attenuation "factor for any distance between the tivo coils. Having determined this ratio for a sufficiently large number ott positions ot' the coil 17, while retaining the coil 18 at a tixed position near the beginning ot the Wave conductor, the attenuation curve tor the frequency under consideration can be plotted and forms part ot the calibration of theivave balance.

Referring to the group ot' curves in li. il, which were determined experimentally by the method just described.y consider any one of them, say the one marked 50 l (l meaning,v kilo-cycles). The abscissa oi any point on that curve rey'iresents the scale division on the scale ot the wave balance and the corresponding ordinate represents the ratio o1 the electromotive iorce induced in the secondary when it is at that scale division divided by the elcctroniotive torce induced in it when it is at the beginning of the wave balance, this ratio being multiplied by 100. Ylhis curve is then the attenuation curve or the Wave balance 'for a treduency ot' o0,- Ulltl p. p. s., (530 l Q73). attenuation curwes'o'l1V the wave balance for a. plurality ot different'frequencies ranging from 20 l to Si) l t ln Fig. et, lliave represented an arrangement ot ap iaratus tor employing; the wave balance to heter-mine the amplifyingl power nl' a. vacuum tube amplifier. The Wave balance and associated parte are represented by the same reference numerals as in the preceding igures; The grid 28 ot the facuum tube amplifier is electrically connected to tne adjustable contact or terminal ot the re sistance 2li. The hot li7 iment 29 is connected-to a low voltage source oit direct current energy 30, while the Wing; or electron circuit, including' the iilament 22 .and plate 3l, is connected across a source ot direct current potential. in the usual manner. llie ung-rounded terminal or the Secondary coil li" is connected to the plate Bl through a condenser Pili and the primary Winding,` of a transformer Z'-i. '.lllie secondary Winding of the transformer :1r-iis connected to heterodyne receiver. The condenser Si. preve ts the potential ol2 the plate 3i establishing; a D. il". current to ground. By means o'l' the adjus. t ot the resistance 20 suitable :traction the voltag; induced in seconda coil 1S is inioresse. noon Fig. 9 represents theDV 'i/iseeoo the grid 28, and is reproduced in amplii'icd Ylorm at the plate 3l, and will there produce an alternating current through the primary winding oit' the transformer del, condenser 33, secondary coil l? to ground and back to theiplate 3l. ldlhen, however, the electromotive force induced in the secondary coil 17 is of opposite phase and oi equal amplitude, no current will flow in the circuit just mentioned, and the heterodyne detector will be silentrli`his silence is, however, produced by adjusting the amplitude ol the electromotive force impressed upon the grid 28 and by moving the secondary coil 1T until the phase relation is properly adjusted so asto produce silence in the detecting telephone. 'llie amplifying,` power ot the vacuum tube amplifier may then be calculated from the potential impresed upon the grid and from the position or' the secondary coil 1T by means of the attenuation curve Vloi' thc frequency under consideration. it is oh vious that the position oi the seconda ry coil i7 also determines the phase relation lictiveen the electromotive force impressed upon the grid 28 and its amplified reproduction on theplate 3l.

ln lling. 5 ot the drawings, a transformer has been substituted tor the vacuum tube amplifier and its associated parts reprosented in Fig. e. By impressing" a` potential dilierence upon the ungrounded end oi" the primary ot this transformer, such as was impressed upon the grid Q8, and by conncce ing' the ungrounded end of the secoi'idary or" the transformer in the same manner as the plate 3l was connected in Figi". e, ive can obtain, by means of the Wave balance and in the manner just described, the ratio oi' transformation and the phase shitting` oi the secondary electromotive torce of the transformerQwhich determinations are ot- :Treat value Vin operations with very hig 'l'rci qucncy electromotive Jiorces.

lt is obvious that in its operations, 'lar described, the true Wave conductor` constitutes a Wave balance. It is also clear that in all these operations with high frequency electromotive forces., the greatest care nms't be taken that extraneous disturbances l c avoided by electromagnetic screening.

All this is indicated in the diagrams of Fig. l, where, in addition to the screeningn provided by the tin-:toil layers, there also indicated the screening provided 'for the terminal in the beginning ot' the wave couductor and also the screening lihirovided by the metal box in which the wave balanc7^ is placed. Thus, it will be noted that at the ungrounded terminal the conducto-if 'il the outer tin-'foil layer 15 extends ovety shoulder oi; the inuslatingW support lli shields the portion of the conductor 'ort J ing through this shoulder. The We e is enclosed in a bor i5 Uli lill

material, preferably magnetic, to provide electrostatic and electromagnetic screening. The box may advantageously be constructed of sheet steel. The ungrounded terminal of the conductor 13 projecting through the box is further shielded by a covering of conducting material, such as a braided or fiexible wire 56, insulated from the conductor, and preferably grounded by connection to the box 55, which is itself connected to ground.

lVhen a wave conductor is to be employed for low frequencies in 'the man-ner hereinbefore described,'a modified form of construction can be adapted which is diagrammatically represented in F ig. 7. Referring to this ligure, the spool or Support 40 may be of seasoned wood. hard rubber of bakelite, and is provided with suitable recesses as indicated. In these recesses are' wound equal coils 4l. 43 of high resistance wire. each coil having several layers to give it a sufficiently high inductance. These coils are connected in series. The junction of adjacent coils are connected by conductors 44. 45. Lt6 to grounded condcnscrs 4T. 48. 49 The conductors pass through the interior of the insulating support 40 and should preferably be metallic covered to screen them from each other. The condensers 47. 48. 49 are of equal capacity and each is grounded as indicated.

The wave conductor thus obtained is a sectional wave conductor. Twenty sections will suffice to make it available for an interval 4of frequencies in which the lowest frequency is about one-tenth part of the highest frequency. For the lowest frequency, the Whole length of the wave conductors should develop a little over one-half of t-he- Wave length and for the highest frequency there will be a little more than three halves of the wave length as indicated by the mathematical formulae hereinbefore given. There will be for even the highest frequency considerably more than ten sections per wave length and the wave conductor will behave even for the highest frequency just like a uniform wave conductor. The wave conductor is covered with paraffined paper 5() over which is wrapped a heavy laminated layer 51 of tin-foil to screen the coils 0f the wave conductor from external electrical fields. The end of the wave conductor is connected to the tin-foil layer 51 and then grounded. Relatively movable secondary coils 52 are wound, as indicated7 upon insulating spools surrounding` the wave conductor. The same principles apply here as in the case of the wave conductor illustrated in Fig. l for making it approximately aperiodic and equivalent to a wave conductor of infin'itefiength.

I am aware that a Wave conductor of small attenuation can also act like aa infinitely long wave conductor when lits end is connected to an impedance which is equal to the initial impedance of the wave conductor, its length being supposed to be infinitely long; because, in that case, there is no reflection of the electrical wave at the end. But this condition can be fulfilled for one frequency only and would have to be adjusted with each change of frequency. I prefer, therefore, to employ highly attenuating wave conductors as true wave conductors because they do not need any adjustment-s with change of frequency and also because they are practically aperiodic. But in all practical applications described above and to be described in other patent applications of" even date` I claim this other type of wave conductor as an equivalent;

I claim: l

l. A wave balance` comprising a. conductor having substantially uniformly distributed induct-ance, resistance and capacityand secondary circuits inductively related to said conductor and relatively movable with respect to each other and to the conductor.

2. A wave balance. comprising a conductor having substantially uniformi)7 distributed inductance, resistance and capacity, and a pair of secondary circuits inductively associated with said conductor and arranged to be positioned with respect thereto so that the electromotive forces induced in said circuits are of predetermined amplitude and phase relation with respect to each other and with respect to the electromotive force impressed upon the conductor.

3. A wave balance, comprising an insulating support` a layer of conducting material surrounding said support. a conducting wire wound on said layer of conductimg' material and separated from it by a dielectic.l a second layer of conducting material surrounding said wire and separated therefrom by a. dielectric., the two conducting layers being conductively connected to one terminal of the wire. and a pair of secondary circuits inductively related to said conductor and relatively movable with respect to each other and to the conductor.

4. A wave balance. comprising a conductor having substantially uniformly distributed inductance, resistance and capacity` a shield of conducting material surrounding said conductor for reducing the electrostatic. coupling between the conductor and adjacent conductors` and secondary circuits inductively related to said conductor and relatively movable with respect to each other and to the conductor.

wave conductor, comprising an insulating support, a layer of laminated conducting material surrounding said support, a dielectric surrounding said conductlng layer, a conducting Wire Wound on sait.

inductively associated with said conductor and relatively movable with respect to each other and to the conductor.

(3. A wave balance comprising a conductor havincr substantially uniformly distributed i0 iuductance. resistance and capacity, secondary circuits inductively related to said conductoi and relatively movable with respect to each other and to the conductor, and a non-inductive potentiometer, the resistance 13 ot which is large in comparison with the impedance of the secondary circuit, connected across one or both of said circuits.

T. wavebalancc, comprising a conductor havin;r substantially uniformly distributed 'lo iiuluctance. resistance and capacity, secondary circuits inductively related to said conductor and relatively movable with respect to each other and to the conductor, a noninductive potentiometer, the resistance of which is large in comparison with the impedance of the secondary circuit connected across one or both of said circuits, a system of conductors electrically associated with `said circuits, and means for balancing in 3o phase and in amplitude by the electromotive force induced in one of said circuits a second electromotive force impressed upon a definite point of said system.

tu. A wave balance,.comprisingr a conductor having substantially uniformly distributed inductance` resistance and capacity, and a pair of secondary circuits inductively associated with said conductor and arranged .to be relatively positioned with respect 4o thereto so that the relative an'iplitudes and time phase relation of the electromotive forces of a predetermined frequency induced therein an be varied.

9, wave balance, comprising a conductor having substantially uniformly distributed inductance, resistance and capacity, a pair of secondary circuits inductively associated with said conductor and arranged to be relatively positioned with respect thereto 5o so that the relative amplitudes and time phase relation of the electromotive forces of a predetermined frequency induced therein can be varied, a system of conductors electrically associated with said circuits, and

means for balancing in phase and in amplitudes by the clectromotive force induced in one of said circuits a second electromotive force impressed upon a definite point of said system.

10. fi Wave balance, comprising' a conductor having substantially uniformly distributed inductance, resistance and capacity, and possessing a sutliciently high resistance and capacity to make it a true wave conductor and to render it practically aperiodic, and secondary circuits inductively related to said conductor and relatively movable with respect to each other and to the conductor.

l1. A wave balance, comprising; a conductor having substantially uniformly distributed inductance, resistance and capacity, secondary circuits inductively related to said conductor and relatively movable with respect .to each other and to the conductor, a non-inductive potentiometer the resistance of which is large in comparison with the impedance 0f the secondary circuit connected across one or both of said circuits, and means` for balancing' both in phase and in amplitude a harmonic electromotive force inipressed upon a definite point of a system of conductors against that generated at some other point of the system by the action of the impressed electromotive force.

l2. i wave balance, comprising' a conductor having substantially uniformly distributed inductance, resistance and capacityn z. pair of secondary circuits inductively related to said conductor and relatively movable with respect to each other and to the conductor, a system of conductors including' a vacuum tube amplifier associated with said circuits, means including one of said circuits for producing; a pulsating electromotive force on the plate of said amplifier, and means for balancing in phase and amplitude by the electromotivei'force of the other circuit the pulsating' electrornotive force produced on said plate.

13. A wave balance, comprising a conductor having' substantially uniformly distributed inductance, resistance and capacity, and secondary circuits adapted to be electrically associated with said conductor and tobe adjustable with respect to each other and With the said conductor.

14e. i Wave balance, comprising' a conductor having' substantially uniformly'distributed inductance, resistance and capacity, and possessimr a sufliciently high resistance and capacity to maire it a true Wave conductor and to render it practically aperiodic, and secondary circuits adapted to be electrically associated with said conductor and to be adjustable with respect to each other and with the said conductor.

ln testimony whereof il affix my signature. 

